By EverythingGP staff

Court

Court update: New evidence application will be allowed in a murder conviction, three trial dates set for another accused, man charged with manslaughter ordered to stand trial

Mar 14, 2022 | 6:00 AM

New evidence will be allowed in appeal of Grande Prairie murder case

The Alberta Court of Appeal will allow an application to submit new evidence in an appeal of a conviction in a Grande Prairie murder case.

Nicholas Richard Harris had appealed a conviction on a charge of first-degree murder. He sought to admit new evidence, even though the deadline to do this had already passed.

He was convicted on June 21, 2019, in connection with the shooting death of John William Rock outside the Canadian Brewhouse location in Grande Prairie on October 1, 2014.

His trial had heard the two had been in a dispute over a $30,000 drug debt Harris had owed Rock.

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In the ruling, Justice Thomas W. Wakeling extended the deadline to December 23, 2021, the same day as the application to admit that new evidence was submitted.

Justice Wakeling says in the ruling that the Criminal Code allows such deadlines to be extended if doing this is in the interest of justice. The ruling goes on to say the new evidence can come in if it is relevant to the decisive issue at trial and if it is credible and could have impacted the outcome of that trial.

Justice Wakeling adds he is satisfied that Harris moved to admit the new evidence as soon as he learned two witnesses were willing to provide sworn affidavits.

He also ruled the Crown would not be unduly prejudiced if this was allowed.

The application to admit the new evidence will now go before a panel for a ruling.

Trial ordered in manslaughter case

Alberta Justice says a man charged after the death of another man in Atikameg has been ordered to stand trial.

The order was given in the case against Darcy Lane Joseph Weesemat on charges of manslaughter/use of a firearm, possession of a weapon dangerous to the public and possession of a prohibited firearm during a preliminary hearing in High Prairie court.

Trial dates have not been set.

RCMP said at the time that they got a report on October 20, 2019, of a deceased man on Atikameg First Nation. The man, later identified as 35-year-old Christopher Lyle Cunningham of High Prairie, was found dead along a road.

Police did not release any other details on how he died.

Weesemat was charged with manslaughter in October of 2020.

Man accused of shooting at Valleyview RCMP to go to trial

Alberta Justice says a man charged after a shot was fired at Valleyview RCMP on October 1, 2021, will stand trial for charges related to that incident June 2, 2022, in Valleyview court.

RCMP had charged Brandon Lee Munro with counts that included discharging a firearm with intent to injure and possession of a firearm while prohibited.

Mounties said at the time they were doing an investigation related to recovering stolen property on Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation when someone in a pick-up shot towards them. The truck then took off. Munro was later arrested then released on conditions.

Munro was already facing charges related to stolen property from September of 2021 A trial date in this case is set for May 5 in Valleyview court.

Munro will also stand trial August 11 in Valleyview court on charges related to an incident from January this year related to firearms and a stolen truck.

He also has a court date on April 7 in a case where a suspect that fled a traffic stop led police to a Sturgeon Lake house where police also found a loaded firearm.